Emt Fee Plan Moving Ahead

ISLE OF WIGHT — The county could get as much as $300,000 annually by billing residents.

The county Board of Supervisors will plow ahead to have ambulance fees in place by July 1, despite one rescue squad's possibly not supporting the plan.

During a meeting Thursday night, the supervisors discussed the fact that some members of the Windsor Volunteer Rescue Squad may not support the ambulance billing.

Some opponents of the fees raised concerns about senior citizens or uninsured people no longer being able to afford calling for emergency services.

Board members told Isle of Wight's emergency director, Richard Childress, to go through the administrative channel to handle the disagreement.

"I am hopeful if they understand the intent and purpose of the program, they will support it," said Richard MacManus, who represents Smithfield on the board.

The county would need signed agreements from the Carrollton Volunteer Fire Department, the Isle of Wight Rescue Squad and the Windsor Volunteer Rescue Squad by Feb. 28 to make ambulance fees effective July 1.

"The Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Association approved and endorsed the ambulance fees more than six months ago," said Stan Clark, who represents the Newport District on the board, about the Windsor Rescue Squad.

The new ambulance billing could bring the county about $300,000 annually in new revenues.

County Attorney Jay Stroman presented a draft for an ordinance that outlined the fee structure for the billing.

According to the proposed ordinance, a basic life support transport would cost $350, an advanced life support transport $450. Residents would get billed initially, but insurance, Medicaid or Medicare would ultimately cover most of these costs, officials said.

The county is also working on an ambulance subscription service that will allow county residents to pay an annual fee -- for example $50 -- instead of the ambulance fees.

Several cities and counties recently tapped into the unused revenues through emergency services paid by insurance money. James City County, for example, is discussing billing for ambulance trips again this year after it was voted down eight years ago.

Isle of Wight contracted with a billing company in October to do the ambulance billing in the future.

County officials said they were confident that the fees would be in place by July regardless of whether one rescue squad disagrees. "We would figure out a way to make it move forward," MacManus said. *